Author: Verified News Online

AdvertisementSingaporeThis Week in AsiaPoliticsSingapore strives to remain equidistant amid US-China rivalry: ‘same-same but different’Foreign minister says the city state must assert its distinctiveness to remain relevant and will not act as a proxy for any major power
Reading Time:4 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPJean IauPublished: 7:00pm, 2 Mar 2026Singapore’s long-standing effort to stay equidistant between the United States and China is entering a more volatile phase, with recent comments by officials reflecting their awareness of the mounting strain, analysts have said.Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Friday told parliament that Singapore would not act as a proxy for any major power, stressing that the city state must be prepared to “courteously stand up and say no”.
Observers say his remarks come at a time when geopolitical guard rails are weakening and conflicts beyond Asia are adding fresh pressure on small states to take sides.
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The agenda is a one-second global clap celebrating humanity and unity across the world. World Clap Day has announced a worldwide synchronized clap scheduled for 16 August 2026 at 10:00 PM New York time (EDT), inviting people across continents to clap together at the exact same second in what organisers describe as a non-political, non-religious celebration of humanity. The initiative, founded in London in December 2025, has grown rapidly online and is positioning the event as an annual global moment of unity without formal affiliation, central location or structured programme. A one-second global action Organisers describe World Clap Day as a simple coordinated action: at one exact moment on 16 August 2026, participants across time zones will clap their hands for one second, a synchronised gesture intended to see, quite literally, the entire planet clap at once. “No politics. No religion. No agenda,” the movement states in its published mission. “Just one simple, universal action done ..

Iran President Pezeshkian vows revenge after Khamenei killed in US–Israel strikes (Picture credit: AP)

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared that avenging the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is both a “legitimate duty and right” of the Islamic Republic, following joint US–Israeli strikes that killed the 86-year-old leader.In a statement carried by state television, Pezeshkian said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran considers it its legitimate duty and right to avenge the perpetrators and masterminds of this historic crime.”He further described Khamenei’s killing as a “declaration of war against Muslims”. Calling it the assassination of “the highest political authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran and a prominent leader of Shiism worldwide,” Pezeshkian said it was “perceived as an open declaration of war against Muslims, and particularly against Shiites, everywhere in the world.”Israel attacks IranIsrael Attack Iran Live Updates: Missiles strike US navy headq..

AdvertisementChina’s Communist PartyChinaPoliticsInside Xi Jinping’s new guide to promoting Communist Party officialsChinese leader targets ‘two-faced’ officials and demands new benchmarks tailored to local needs in newly released speeches
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAlcott Weiin BeijingandJun Maiin Hong KongPublished: 6:00pm, 1 Mar 2026For a book on performance appraisals, it contained some surprising language – especially given its author, President Xi Jinping.
The volume, published by the Central Party Literature Press, coincided with the launch of an overhaul of the Communist Party’s promotion system that will continue in the run-up to next year’s leadership transition.Among the raft of speeches and instructions from Xi since November 2012 is a blunt warning to cadres about pursuing debt-laden white elephant projects.
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AdvertisementRetailingBusinessWarm winter no match: China’s sportswear sector posts surprise growthPolicy support, Chinese New Year demand and Winter Olympics exposure lift China’s sportswear makers, with Li Ning and Anta leading gains
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPCao LiPublished: 6:00pm, 1 Mar 2026China’s major sportswear makers have shrugged off soft consumer spending and a warm winter, according to analysts.
Retail sales in China’s sportswear sector picked up in the first two months of 2026 and beat expectations, helped by fresh policy support and Chinese New Year demand, analysts said. Separately, Chinese households also tuned into the Winter Olympics, where domestic sportswear giants Li Ning and Anta had high visibility.
“We are turning more positive on the China sportswear industry for the first time in 12 months,” Jefferies equity analysts John Chou, Boya Zhen and Anne Ling said in a report.
AdvertisementJefferies forecasts sportswear retail sales to grow by more ..